Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1996

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 2, NWS Raleigh, NC

January 19, 1996Guilford County, Montgomery County, Randolph County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jan 19, 1996, 6:04 AM EST for Guilford County, Montgomery County, Randolph County, North Carolina. It was in force for 26 min. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jan 19, 1996, 6:04 AM EST (11:04 UTC)
Expired
Jan 19, 1996, 6:30 AM EST
In force
26 min
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
Area
Whole counties

Counties Guilford County, NC, Montgomery County, NC, Randolph County, NC

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jan 19, 6:15 AM ESTThunderstorm Wind 0Countywide, NC
Jan 19, 6:15 AM ESTThunderstorm Wind 0Countywide, NC
Jan 19, 6:15 AM ESTThunderstorm Wind 0Countywide, NC

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in.

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 42 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 1996-01-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 74 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 1996-01-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 213 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
74 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-11 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
519 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
213 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
260 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WUUS1 KRDU 191106 RRA
SVRRDU
NCC081-151-123-191130-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM NC
604 AM EST FRI JAN 19 1996
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH/DURHAM HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  630 AM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
 
   ...GUILFORD COUNTY...RANDOLPH COUNTY
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
 
   ...MONTGOMERY COUNTY
 
AT 600 AM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
FROM THE WEST INTO GUILFORD...RANDOLPH...AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES. THE
LINE HAS BEEN MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR WHILE INDIVIDUAL
THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN TRACKING NORTH NORTHEAST AT NEARLY 50 MILES AN
HOUR. WIND DAMAGE TO TREES AND POWER LINES AS WELL AS VERY HEAVY RAIN
CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
 
 
DOWNBURST WINDS FROM A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAN SOMETIMES REACH 100
MPH.  A POWERFUL DOWNBURST CAN BE AS BAD AS A TORNADO.  THESE WINDS
DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES...OVERTURN MOBILE HOMES...AND DAMAGE
BUILDINGS. SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY AND REPORT DAMAGES PROMPTLY TO
EMERGENCY OFFICIALS FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jan 19, 3:50 AM EST, 2 hours 14 minutes before
NCZ007>010-021>026-038>041-073>077-083>086-088-191300-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
350 AM EST FRI JAN 19 1996

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT OVER MOST OF CENTRAL
NORTH CAROLINA UNTIL 8 AM THIS FRIDAY MORNING.

EARLY THIS MORNING...BETWEEN 3 AND 4 AM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED STRONG
AND POTENTIALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO THE WEST OVER PORTIONS OF THE
NORTHERN FOOTHILLS AND SOUTHWEST PIEDMONT...AREAS WEST OF WINSTON-
SALEM AND CHARLOTTE.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG
COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS.

AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES EAST THIS MORNING...THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
WILL PROGRESS EAST...LIKELY AFFECTING THE GREENSBORO TRIAD AREA BETWEEN
4 AND 6 AM...AND CONTINUING EAST TO NEAR THE RALEIGH-DURHAM AND
FAYETTEVILLE AREAS BY 8 AM.

SOUTHERLY WINDS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT ARE GUSTING IN EXCESS OF 30
MILES AN HOUR.  THUNDERSTORMS MAY INCREASE THOSE WINDS TO NEAR SEVERE
OR DAMAGING LEVELS.

FOLLOWING THE COLD FRONT LATER TODAY...TEMPERATURES WILL DROP SHARPLY
15 TO 25 DEGREES IN JUST A MATTER OF 2 OR 3 HOURS...STARTING IN THE 60S
AND DROPPING INTO THE 40S. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE FALLING INTO THE
30S IN THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR LATEST
INFORMATION.

RFG
Special weather statement, Jan 19, 3:55 AM EST, 2 hours 9 minutes before
NCZ007>010-021>026-038>041-073>077-083>086-088-191300-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
350 AM EST FRI JAN 19 1996

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT OVER MOST OF CENTRAL
NORTH CAROLINA UNTIL 8 AM THIS FRIDAY MORNING.

EARLY THIS MORNING...BETWEEN 3 AND 4 AM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED STRONG
AND POTENTIALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO THE WEST OVER PORTIONS OF THE
NORTHERN FOOTHILLS AND SOUTHWEST PIEDMONT...AREAS WEST OF WINSTON-
SALEM AND CHARLOTTE.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG
COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS.

AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES EAST THIS MORNING...THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
WILL PROGRESS EAST...LIKELY AFFECTING THE GREENSBORO TRIAD AREA BETWEEN
4 AND 6 AM...AND CONTINUING EAST TO NEAR THE RALEIGH-DURHAM AND
FAYETTEVILLE AREAS BY 8 AM.

SOUTHERLY WINDS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT ARE GUSTING IN EXCESS OF 30
MILES AN HOUR.  THUNDERSTORMS MAY INCREASE THOSE WINDS TO NEAR SEVERE
OR DAMAGING LEVELS.

FOLLOWING THE COLD FRONT LATER TODAY...TEMPERATURES WILL DROP SHARPLY
15 TO 25 DEGREES IN JUST A MATTER OF 2 OR 3 HOURS...STARTING IN THE 60S
AND DROPPING INTO THE 40S. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE FALLING INTO THE
30S IN THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR LATEST
INFORMATION.

RFG
Special weather statement, Jan 19, 5:29 AM EST, 35 minutes before
NCZ007>010-021>026-038>041-073>077-083>086-088-191300-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
530 AM EST FRI JAN 19 1996

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT OVER MOST OF CENTRAL
NORTH CAROLINA UNTIL 8 AM THIS FRIDAY MORNING.

BETWEEN 5 AND 530 AM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND A FEW
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE AREA BETWEEN CHARLOTTE AND THE
TRIAD AREA AROUND GREENSBORO.  THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE
BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVING INTO THE WESTERN PART
OF NORTH CAROLINA.

AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES EAST THIS MORNING...THE NUMEROUS HEAVY SHOWERS
AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL PROGRESS EAST THROUGH THE PIEDMONT...
AND CONTINUING EAST TO NEAR THE RALEIGH-DURHAM AND FAYETTEVILLE AREAS
BY 8 AM.

SOUTHERLY WINDS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT ARE GUSTING IN EXCESS OF 30
MILES AN HOUR.  THUNDERSTORMS MAY INCREASE THOSE WINDS TO NEAR SEVERE
OR DAMAGING LEVELS.

FOLLOWING THE COLD FRONT LATER TODAY...TEMPERATURES WILL DROP SHARPLY
15 TO 25 DEGREES IN JUST A MATTER OF 2 OR 3 HOURS...STARTING IN THE 60S
AND DROPPING INTO THE 40S. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE FALLING INTO THE
30S IN THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON.

STA8Y TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR LATEST
INFORMATION.

RFG
Special weather statement, Jan 19, 5:30 AM EST, 34 minutes before
NCZ007>010-021>026-038>041-073>077-083>086-088-191300-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
530 AM EST FRI JAN 19 1996

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT OVER MOST OF CENTRAL
NORTH CAROLINA UNTIL 8 AM THIS FRIDAY MORNING.

BETWEEN 5 AND 530 AM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND A FEW
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE AREA BETWEEN CHARLOTTE AND THE
TRIAD AREA AROUND GREENSBORO.  THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE
BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVING INTO THE WESTERN PART
OF NORTH CAROLINA.

AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES EAST THIS MORNING...THE NUMEROUS HEAVY SHOWERS
AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL PROGRESS EAST THROUGH THE PIEDMONT...
AND CONTINUING EAST TO NEAR THE RALEIGH-DURHAM AND FAYETTEVILLE AREAS
BY 8 AM.

SOUTHERLY WINDS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT ARE GUSTING IN EXCESS OF 30
MILES AN HOUR.  THUNDERSTORMS MAY INCREASE THOSE WINDS TO NEAR SEVERE
OR DAMAGING LEVELS.

FOLLOWING THE COLD FRONT LATER TODAY...TEMPERATURES WILL DROP SHARPLY
15 TO 25 DEGREES IN JUST A MATTER OF 2 OR 3 HOURS...STARTING IN THE 60S
AND DROPPING INTO THE 40S. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE FALLING INTO THE
30S IN THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR LATEST
INFORMATION.

RFG

The office that day

Everything else NWS Raleigh, NC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 19, 5:38 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHDavidson, Forsyth37 min
Jan 19, 6:34 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHGuilford, Randolph11 min
Jan 19, 6:34 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHMontgomery11 min
Jan 19, 6:53 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHAlamance37 min
Jan 19, 7:13 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHChatham, Lee, Orange32 min
Jan 19, 7:13 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHPerson32 min
Jan 19, 7:39 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHDurham36 min
Jan 19, 7:56 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHGranville, Wake34 min
Jan 19, 8:19 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHVance26 min
Jan 19, 8:29 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHWake16 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 1996Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1996

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.